(Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 1 |
| N.Y. Yankees | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | x | 7 | 13 | 0 |
WP: A. Burnett (2-0); LP: S. Feldman (1-1)
Are you starting to feel as good about this team as I am?
Today was another nice win for the Bombers, who made the Rangers look awful in a 7-3 win at the stadium. A.J. Burnett was great over seven shutout innings, allowing just six hits and two walks, while striking out seven. Burnett showed a good mix of fastballs and curves that kept the Rangers hitters off balance all day. Once again, he didn't need or want to go to his new changeup, throwing only one all day, but the results were there so who cares.
Another plus to this performance was that it came with Jorge Posada behind the plate, so he and Burnett are now one step closer to never having to answer questions about their relationship.
Burnett was also able to work with a big lead for most of the day because the Yankees offense put up two in the second, four in the third, and another in the fourth to basically put the game away. They completely wore down Rangers starter Scott Feldman, who needed 74 pitches before exiting the game after 2.1 innings pitched.
Nick Johnson started the scoring with a two-out walk with the bases loaded. Mark Teixeira following with an infield single to drive in the Yankees second run. It was one of those lucky hits that might just get him going.
In the third, Brett Gardner picked up an RBI with one of his three infield singles on the day. These are the types of games where we really see what Gardner can do. Not only did he pick up three hits without getting the ball out of the infield, but he also was part of another double steal, which led to another run. It was the same play the Yanks ran in Boston, except this time Gardner was on first and Curtis Granderson was on third. Speaking of Granderson, he had another nice day at the plate, going 2-for-4 to raise his average to .326.
Derek Jeter showed some surprising power, pulling a two-run homer into the seats in left. It was his third of the homestand. Jeter had three hits on the day to extend his hitting streak to 11.
Alex Rodriguez capped off the scoring with his first homer of the season, a solo shot to right-center. It was his 584th homer of his career, passing Mark McGwire and putting him in sole possession of 8th place on the all-time list.
If you want to find a negative in today's win it was Alfredo Aceves and the three runs he allowed in just one-third of an inning. However, there's no better time to get a bad outing out of your system than on a day where you're winning by seven.
Damaso Marte and Joba Chamberlain finished off the game for the Yanks. They combined for 1.2 perfect innings, including three strikeouts--one for Marte and two for Joba. Joba once again didn't show the same velocity he had that night in Boston. His fastball averaged just 91.69 MPH and topped out at 94.4, but again, the results were there so I'm not too concerned. I'm sure as the weather starts heating up his velocity will improve.
Today's win made it four straight series wins for the Yanks to open the season, which is the first time that's been done since 1926. It was also Joe Girardi's 200th as a manager.
They go for the sweep tomorrow with Andy Pettitte on the mound. The southpaw will be matched up against right-hander Rich Harden. First pitch is set for 1:05 p.m. and the game will be on YES.
| Hitters | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | LOB | AVG |
| Derek Jeter, SS | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .380 |
| Ramiro Pena, SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Nick Johnson, DH | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | .176 |
| Mark Teixeira, 1B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .100 |
| Alex Rodriguez, 3B | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | .279 |
| Robinson Cano, 2B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .356 |
| Jorge Posada, C | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .364 |
| Curtis Granderson, CF | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .326 |
| Nick Swisher, RF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | .222 |
| Brett Gardner, LF | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .296 |
| Totals | 36 | 7 | 13 | 6 | 2 | 4 | | |
| Batting | ||||||||
| 2B: Granderson (2, Feldman). HR: Jeter (3, 3rd inning off Mathis, D, 1 on, 2 out), Rodriguez, A (1, 4th inning off Mathis, D, 0 on, 1 out). TB: Jeter 6; Teixeira; Rodriguez, A 5; Posada 2; Granderson 3; Gardner 3. RBI: Johnson, N (5), Teixeira (5), Gardner (4), Jeter 2 (9), Rodriguez, A (7). 2-out RBI: Johnson, N; Teixeira; Gardner; Jeter 2. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Cano; Rodriguez, A 2. GIDP: Johnson, N. Team RISP: 5-for-9. Team LOB: 7. BASERUNNING SB: Gardner (5, 2nd base off Mathis, D/Teagarden). | ||||||||
| Fielding | ||||||||
| DP - Jeter-Cano-Teixeira | ||||||||
| Pitchers | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA |
| A.J. Burnett (W,2-0) | 7 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 2.37 |
| Alfredo Aceves | 0.1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 9.00 |
| Damaso Marte | 0.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Joba Chamberlain | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2.84 |
| WP - A.J. Burnett (1) | ||||||||
| Pitches-Strikes - A.J. Burnett 111-68, Alfredo Aceves 13-6, Damaso Marte 8-6, Joba Chamberlain 19-13 | ||||||||
| Ground Balls-Fly Balls - A.J. Burnett 7-6, Alfredo Aceves 1-0, Joba Chamberlain 1-0 | ||||||||
| Batters Faced - A.J. Burnett 28, Alfredo Aceves 4, Damaso Marte 2, Joba Chamberlain 3 | ||||||||
| PLAYER OF THE GAME: A.J. Burnett HONORABLE MENTION: Derek Jeter |
